The
past year or two, Hip hop in Zim just hasn’t been the same with Tehn having
declared who the new king of the roost is. Why he took his sweet time coming we
just wonder, because clearly he was born for this. Happy and Grown up Kid are
amongst our personal favourites and we know the numbers still make you go crazy
as wellJ.
So we caught up with the brother last week and this is what he had to say:
TAW: FIRST THINGS FIRST, WHO IS TEHN
DIAMOND?
I’m just a young Zimbabwean with a dream and the courage
to chase it. TALK ABOUT HUMILITY, WE COULD COME UP WITH A WHOLE LOTTA WORDS TO DESCRIBE HIM!!!
TAW: WHAT AND WHO IS FEW KINGS?
It’s a hip hop group made up of myself, JBrown and Take Fizzo.
TAW: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH ‘TEHN
DIAMOND’
My given name is Tendai. When I first started, my stage
name was Diamond and my friends started calling me Tendai Diamond and then when
I decided to go professional, Tehn Diamond was born. EISH! HOW MANY OF YOU COULD SPICE UP YOUR
NAMES LIKE THAT!!?
TAW: APPARENTLY YOU ARE ALSO KNOWN AS
HAPPY SMURF. WHY?
I don’t know, I just started calling myself Happy Smurf.
A lot of my stuff is online, so for my online persona I decided on Happy Smurf.
HE COULDN’T HAVE
DECIDED ON A MORE APT NAME – DUDE IS ALWAYS SMILING! WE FIGURE HE KNOWS HIS
SMILE’S GOT MAGIC ON THE LADIES!!!
TAW: HOW DID YOUR MUSIC CAREER START?
It was end of 2008
when I came back from Australia having dropped out of studying finance. So I
had no degree, but a mixtape. A friend of mine who had a club in Singapore
invited me there and I was there for 10 months. I had a ball, with my face on
the billboards and everything and they loved my music. TALK ABOUT HAVING THE REAL DEAL!
TAW: SO HOW DOES ONE GO FROM A FINANCE
STUDENT TO A HIP HOP ARTIST?
I’ve always loved music. Finance wasn’t my thing. I’ll
probably finish the degree though, just for my mom, coz I always say it’s her
degree, so I’ll finish it and hand her the certificate. NCOOOOH ISN’T THAT SO SHWEET? IF
ALL SONS WERE LIKE TEHN!
TAW: SO HOW DID YOUR FAMILY TAKE IT?
They are still
taking it. (HE
LAUGHS) LOL, NAUGHTY NAUGHTY.
TAW: WE REMEMBER YOU PERFORMED AT ONE OF
THIS YEAR’S BBA’S EVICTION SHOWS. HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE?
It was incredible, I was so nervous. It was like a flash,
one minute I’m on stage, the next I’m off and then there’s all this hype. I
barely savoured the moment. TOO BAD EY, WE REMEMBER IT LIKE YESTERDAY, AND YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS
HE WAS NERVOUS, DUDE WAS ON FIRE!!!
TAW: COULD YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE BB
HOUSE AS A HOUSEMATE?
Never ever!!! No! I can’t be on camera
24hrs! I KNOW A LOTTA LADIES WHO’D LOVE TO SEE HIM
24HRS ON AND OFF CAMERA kkk!!!
TAW: SO WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO BESIDES RAP,
SING AND WRITE SONGS?
I’m an entreprenure, I got my own hustles. Right now
trying to be a mushroom farmer. THAT PIC JUST ISN’T COMING – TEHN IN THE FIELD? LOL,
NOO!!!
TAW: WE’VE NOTICED YOU OFTEN HAVE
INTERESTING FASHION ON-STAGE. CARE TO COMMENT?
My stage fashion has been evolving for a number of years.
It was at BBA that I decided I wanted people, especially the kids to see Africa
when I’m rappin and not a cap and chains – but the true Africa. J AND TRUE AFRICAN WOMAN TOTALLY
APPRECIATES!!!
TAW: AND YOU’VE JUST RELEASED A NEW ALBUM
WITH FEW KINGS – THE FEELING AINT FAIR. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
It’s like an open diary about my experiences with my
brothers Brizzy and Take Fizzo. And it’s titled so because it depends on whom
you are and you could be like eish! Tozvidawo, it aint fair. LOL
TAW: SO WHO IS THAT SPECIAL WOMAN IN
TEHN’S LIFE?
A number actually. (AND HE PUTS ON A SINISTER SMILE) my mom and my
three sisters (FELOW
GOT JOKES) and of course my girlfriend. She keeps me centred, stable and focused.
NCOOOOH WE COULDN’T BE
JELOUS EVEN IF WE WANTED TO!!!
TAW: RANDOM QUESTION, IF YOU COULD DATE
ANY AFRICAN ARTIST, WHO WOULD IT BE?
Does it have to be an artist? (WHOA HE ACTUALLY HAS A CRUSH!!!? NO IT
DOESN’T HAVE TO BE AN ARTIST.) Boitumelo!!! She’s my African celebrity crush! KKK OH OH TEHN’S GIRLFY BETTER
WATCH OUT HERE LOL.
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